Lexicon
!Warning! This is the old Wiki account. Go to srtmush.com !Warning! This page is to be used as a reference for some of the technical terms encountered in the themes that make up SRT MUSH. Stub definitions for terms that don't need a ton of space should go here. If you end up creating a page for something, just make sure to replace the stub text with a link. Follow the formats and away you go. Race Types Humans Ordinary, unmodified humans make up the majority of the 5-7 billion population of the Earth Sphere - though not necessarily the majority of player characters. It is important to note that the traditional concept of race based on skin color is less important in the world of SRT; colonization and interbreeding has brought humanity closer to a single, unified genetic pool than any other time since the dawn of civilization. Much more important are concepts based around place of birth - Earthborn and Spacenoid are used both as descriptive and pejorative terms by their respective communities. What most often defines other races at SRT is the degree to which individuals with unique evolved abilities have begun to gather together into identifiable groups. For the most part, these "races" are derived from a human base. While they are still considered Homo sapiens and can interbreed without difficulty, these inherited characteristics may lead to true differentiation of species in the future, particularly if groups such as Newtypes begin breeding together exclusively. Cyborgs Medical technology in the New Colony Age has developed to the point where even severe trauma can be survived provided treatment is begun immediately. Regenerative techniques based on cloning organs or stem cell treatments also allow for rapid healing, but their expense is prohibitive for the majority of the population. As a result, implants of one kind or another are still fairly common. Strictly speaking, any human with a cybernetic implant is considered a cyborg, whether they have a simple prosthesis or more sophisticated replacements. In some rare cases, entire human bodies have been constructed out of cybernetic technology. So long as some element of the human remains, however, these individuals are not true androids. Newtypes Main Article: Newtypes Cyber-Newtypes Anyone who ever doubted the utility of Newtype abilities in space-based combat fell silent following the exploits of Amuro Ray and Char Aznable in the One Year War. Since then, concerted efforts have been made by several agencies to create their own weapons of war, using artificial means to either expand the capabilities of minor Newtypes or bestow them upon ordinary humans; the surviving subjects of these procedures are generally called Cyber-Newtypes. Thus far, the procedures used to develop artificial Newtype abilities have been flawed, and even the few success stories that exist are somewhat notorious for varying degrees of mental instability. Coordinators Coordinators are humans who have undergone extensive genetic modification prior to birth. The majority are found in the PLANT colonies, where they have built a largely independent civilization based on successive generations of genetically modified offspring. Some, however, are designed for specific purposes by military or scientific organizations imbued with a need of specialized talents and a surplus of patience; the winner of the 13th Gundam Fight, Latooni Subota, is an example of a Coordinator created outside the PLANTs. While no two Coordinators are created alike, as a rule genetic engineering techniques are used to select for beneficial characteristics in the embryonic state, resulting in the production of individuals who are generally stronger, faster, more intelligent and more resistant to injury and disease. Coordinators have a higher rate of infertility than the average, and third-generation Coordinators are very often incapable of reproduction. Civilians In the Zora region of Siberia, as in many areas of Siberia, mankind began to retreat from the Earth, moving into domed cities to escape the devastation of the Impact Wars. The most physically frail denizens of Zora, those who could not cope with the rough Siberian environment, were the first to do so, with others joining them over time; they became known as the "Innocent" -- those who would not contribute to the growing damage to the Earth during the Impact Wars. After the Chernobyl-like destruction of the G-System facilities in Siberia, the Innocent found that their already frail bodies could no longer cope with life outside the dome-city "Points" at all; the environment was simply too harsh. With the Coordinator process still some twenty or thirty years away from being revealed, the Innocent had to make use of their own not-quite-so-advanced genetic engineering technology as well as selective breeding. They called the products of these eugenics programs "Civilians," and sent them out to families that could still live in the wastes, hoping to create a new race of people perfectly-suited to the harsh wasteland. The Civilians are, as a whole, stronger, faster and tougher than the average human. Normally completely unlivable environmental conditions such as higher than normal background radiation levels, vast changes in air quality, and incredible temperature highs and lows are merely uncomfortable for Civilians. The most recent generation shows even more extreme changes, having evolved further than expected. Certain individual Civilians have displayed incredible physical prowess beyond what has been seen before, greater willpower and mental stability, and nearly supernatural sensory acuity. It is worth mentioning that, unlike Coordinators, Civilians are by design almost all universally capable of reproduction. Psychodrivers Psychodrivers are a second expression of human evolution. Extremely similar to Newtypes, Psychodrivers are capable of intensive spatial awareness as well as being able to express psychic talents. These abilities vary from Psychodriver to Psychodriver to varying degrees of intensity, and include (but are not limited to) precognition, telepathy, telekinesis and teleportation. The T-Link system has been developed as a method of harnessing Psychodriver powers for use in mobile suits. Zentradi The Zentradi are a race of giants believed to have been created by a precursor race known as the Protoculture in order to serve as warriors that would police the entirety of their galaxy-spanning empire. To further this goal, the Protoculture segregated the entire race by gender, creating the female race known as Meltrandi, and forbidding interaction between the two that might lead to love, art, culture and other such distractions. Procreation was by necessity also forbidden, and the production of new Zentradi was accomplished entirely by cloning and recombining successful lines. The end result was a race of battle-hardened giants whose short lives were consumed from beginning to end with war. And so they continued for thousands of years, even after the Protoculture's empire was shattered. This changed following their mass invasion of the Earth Sphere. Much of the Zentradi fleet was destroyed by humanity, particularly following the defection of the cohort led by Britai Kridanik, who saw the Earth Sphere's culture and rapid progress as a cure for his race's stagnation. Since the conclusion of the conflict, most of the remaining Zentradi have joined the EFA under Britai's command, and Zentradi and Meltrandi are intermingling for the first time in eons. Recent experimentation has also indicated that Zentradi and Meltrandi are genetically equivalent to Homo sapiens, which has served to further the connection. It should also be noted that through the use of a device called a micronization tube, Zentradi and Meltrandi are capable of assuming a human-sized form, typically used when interacting with smaller races or for repairs in confines smaller than their average forty-foot frame can support. The exact process is unknown but is universally safe and reversible, though certain individuals have demonstrated an unwillingness to undergo it at all. Setting-Related Science and Technology Black Hole Engine An experimental energy system created with Extra-Over Technology that cycles energy through a micro-black hole, producing a theoretically inexhaustible power supply. Official research into this technology was put on hold following the Huckebein Incident, which claimed the lives of most of the experts in the field. Shu Shirakawa is known to have adapted the technology for use in his personal mobile weapon, the Granzon. Degeneracy Reactor A power system that derives energy from micro-black holes contained in a paired orbit. The technology was devised early in the NCA, and forms one of the cornerstones of what is now called Tannhaeuser Physics. Degeneracy reactors are most notable for being capable of opening a Tannhaeuser gate into subspace, thereby making long-distance Warp jumps possible. Extra-Over Technology Commonly abbreviated as EOT, Extra-Over Technology refers specifically to any technologies created as a result of the study of alien artifacts. The Extra-Over Technology Institute was created for the study of alien technologies and, prior to the formation of the Divine Crusade responsible for the development of several prototypes upon which modern robotics is based, including degeneracy reactors and KLF fighters. Mobile Trace System A control mechanism that allows for a pilot's physical movement to directly control the machine equipped with this system, permitting enhanced maneuverability and fine motor control that is impossible to reproduce with traditional systems. It is particularly popular among participants in the Gundam Fight. A neural interface suit is typically required to make use of the Mobile Trace System, but recently developed prototypes (known as the Direct Motion Link System) simply mirror the pilot's movements using three-dimensional mapping technology. Nanotechnology Nanotechnology, or nanotech, is the study and manipulation of matter on an atomic and molecular scale. The most common application of nanotech in the New Colony Age is the engineering discipline of designing and building nanomachines. The use of nanotech is heavily regulated by international treaties, and military applications are largely restricted to beneficial medical treatments only. The most notable regulation is a total ban on the production of self-replicating nanomachines, enacted to avoid the ecophagic scenario known colloqiually as the "Grey Goo." Tannhaeuser Physics The fundamental model by which humanity now understands space travel. Under Tannhaeuser physics, space is filled with invisible particles known as 'ether' through which space ships travel much in the same way as submarines travel through water. Tannhaeuser physics also provides for a variety of technologies driven by the containment of micro-black holes, such as Degeneracy reactors and warp travel. Tesla Drive The result of a serendipitous discovery by scientists at the Tesla Leicht Institute, the Tesla Drive is an engine enhancement that permits multi-directional flight without requiring aerofoils to generate lift. The precise means by which Tesla Drives function has not been established, but their ease of manufacture and tactical utility made them a staple of the mass-produced units of the Divine Crusaders. Tronium A substance ten times more radioactive than Uranium-235 and capable of producing exponentially higher levels of energy. Tronium is highly unstable and does not occur naturally on Earth - all known samples of Tronium originated from Meteor-3, and most were given to the EFA by Dr. Bian Zoldark. The location of any other samples is unknown. Warp Travel Warp travel is accomplished through the creation of a gateway into subspace called a Tannhaeuser Gate. Performing a warp jump requires the use of a battleship-class Degeneracy Reactor equipped with a Vanishing Motor, which places interstellar travel out of the hands of even the wealthiest individuals. The vast majority of battleships capable of warp jumps are under EFA and DC control. W-I³NK System The Warfare Information Integrated Inter-Nerval and Kinetic (W-I³NK) System is an interface unique to the XAM-007S Fairlion and XAM-007G Fairlion, permitting the pilot of one Fairlion unit to remotely control the other. It is powered by unicorns and rainbows, and reduces the testosterone levels of anyone who observes it directly by 27%. Other